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State of the Arts eNewsletter

State of the Arts - Issue 6, March - April 2008

School District and Arts Collaborative to create Arts Education Master Plan

Art StudentsThe Ventura Unified School District (VUSD) maintains a strong belief in providing all students with a comprehensive education which includes the arts as a part of that core curriculum as defined by No Child Left Behind (NCLB). In order to strengthen the teaching of the arts by providing a vision, focus and support for arts education, VUSD is in the beginning stages of designing an Arts Master Plan, which will serve as a blueprint for integrating the arts into all K-12 VUSD students' curricula. The plan is district driven and will be created in collaborate with the Ventura Education Partnership Arts Collaborative (comprised of VUSD teachers, principals, community volunteers, City staff, artists and other community interested parties). As all districts in the State of California received both one-time and ongoing funding for the arts, having an Arts Master Plan that provides the framework for the building of skills in art, music, theatre, and dance is essential. The Arts Master Plan will ensure that the arts are an integral, interdisciplinary, sequential part of every student's education, fostering creativity and a life-long appreciation of the arts.

Letter from Cultural Affairs Manager Kerry Adams Hapner

No Art Left Behind

Kerry Adams HapnerA February 2008 Center on Education Policy (CEP) Report "Instructional Time in Elementary Schools: A Closer Look at Changes for Specific Subjects" analyzed the amount of instructional time devoted to specific subjects as a result of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) that took effect in 2002.

NCLB has been criticized for promoting teaching methods that focus solely on testing success. It is argued that increased emphasis on standardized testing subjects overshadows the process of learning and interferes with a well rounded offering of academic subjects and creative teaching methods.

The CEP report demonstrates that, measured in classroom hours, since NCLB, arts education has suffered. Since 2001, English language arts teaching increased by 141 minutes per week and mathematics increased by 45% or 89 minutes per week. However, social studies, science, art and music, recess, and physical education decreased cumulatively by 298 minutes or 5 hours per week. Time for arts education decreased by 57 minutes or 16% per week.

The benefits of arts education are far-reaching and well documented. Arts education contributes to higher academic performance, increased civic engagement and volunteerism, decreased juvenile delinquency, development of a competitive 21st century workforce, and the building of future arts audiences.

According to research from Americans for the Arts, young people who participate in the arts for at least three hours on three days each week for at least one full year are:

Furthermore, young artists, as compared to their peers, are more likely to participate in youth groups nearly four times as frequently; read for pleasure nearly twice as often; and perform community service nearly twice as often. Arts education has a measurable impact on youth at risk in deterring delinquent behavior and social problems while also increasing overall academic performance.

In the 21st Century, a new global knowledge economy has developed. In this economy, ideas and innovation drive business sectors. Workforce preparedness is a key challenge to US global competitiveness, with a demand for skills in creativity which are critical for innovation. Arts education stimulates experimentation and confidence to make creative choices. Daniel Pink, author of "A Whole New Mind", argues that while production can be outsourced, the intrinsic creativity that drives the global economy can not. He writes, "Logical and precise left brain thinking gave us the Information Age. Now comes the Conceptual Age - ruled by artistry, empathy, and emotion." Arts education prepares individuals for these necessary skills.

For all these reasons, we are pleased to take part in the development of a Ventura Unified school District (VUSD) Arts Education Master Plan. This plan will serve as a blueprint for integrating the arts into all K-12 VUSD students' curricula. I congratulate the VUSD and the Arts Collaborative on taking this critical step towards ensuring equal access to the arts for all youth, a critical building block for tomorrow.

Statewide Foundation Makes Major Investment in Ventura County Creative Community

The James Irvine Foundation today announced nearly $3.2 million in grants to eight California community foundations that will support regional arts efforts as part of its Communities Advancing the Arts (CAA) initiative. The Ventura County Community Foundation (VCCF) will receive $450,000 over three years to support local efforts to raise the visibility of and increase donor involvement in the arts, as it joins CAA for its second phase. Irvine granted $4.75 million to community foundations throughout the state as part of the first phase of CAA from 2004-2007. Eight community foundations, six of which participated in phase one, will share $3.15 million in grants approved by Irvine's Board of Directors.

VCCF has outlined a number of specific goals for its CAA work. First, working in concert with the Irvine Foundation on a parallel grant, the community foundation will map the breadth of arts activities already taking place throughout the county, with a focus on nonprofit, for-profit and related arts activities by organizations and artists. VCCF will regrant CAA monies to small and midsize arts organizations to highlight the breadth and depth of the Ventura arts community. These grants will support programs for everyday artists and organizations presenting the diverse array of cultural traditions of Ventura residents.

The community foundation will use the CAA funds to reinvigorate private fundraising for the arts, working with local arts organizations to help them increase support from individual donors. VCCF also plans to launch an endowed scholarship fund that will provide financial support for students and/or emerging artists interested in pursuing the arts as a career. The overarching goal of these efforts is to support a vibrant, multi-generational arts-oriented community - and to mobilize donors who care deeply about the arts in Ventura County. VCCF hopes to showcase the local cultural landscape in a region where patrons are often drawn to nearby venues in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara.

Wheel Arch: Public Art meets Cycling in Downtown Ventura

Wheel ArchFor Bay Area artist Mark Grieve, bicycles are far more than a means of transportation. Using bike frames, gears, handlebars, forks and wheels he creates massive sculptural works that can reach up to twenty feet tall. "I like the idea of taking a known rhythm and turning it on its head to create something new," said Grieve. "If I can take the inherent beauty of a bicycle part and transform it into something else, taking it out of context, creating a visual effect, then I have succeeded."

The latest in a series, Grieve's sculpture Wheel Arch will be on display in downtown Ventura at California Plaza, located at California Street and the Beachfront Promenade. Wheel Arch is inspired by the natural beauty of Arches National Park near Moab, Utah--a landscape of contrasting colors, landforms and textures with over 2,000 natural sandstone arches.

The sculpture will serve a dual purpose in not only providing residents with a unique experience of the promenade area but also encouraging the community to consider cycling as an alternative means of transportation. City engineers have worked strenuously to make Ventura a more bike-friendly community in recent years. City Engineer Tom Mericle will discuss Ventura's bike plan at the opening event.

The display of Grieve's work is made possible by the City of Ventura Public Art Program's P.LA.C.E. Project (Public and Local Artists Creating Environments) which commissions temporary art installations throughout the city. Grieve competed with artists across the country for the P.L.A.C.E. Project. A panel of residents reviewed proposals and ultimately recommended Mark Grieve for this commission based on the artistic merit of his work and cycling being an integral part of life in Ventura.

Wheel Arch will be on display from April 5 through May 18 at California Plaza. The community is encouraged to attend a celebration ceremony at ArtWalk honoring the sculpture on Sunday April 27 at noon.

For more information, visit:

Cottontail Day in Plaza Park brings over 2,000 visitors to downtown Ventura

Cottontail DayOn Sunday, March 16, the City of Ventura will hold the 16th annual Cottontail Day in downtown Ventura at Plaza Park from 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM, one of the largest springtime children's events in Ventura County. Festivities include a free egg hunt for children ages 1 to 7. Egg hunts will begin at 10 AM and continue until 2:45 PM (while prizes last). Children are encouraged to bring their own baskets or bags for the hunt.

The Kiwanis Club of Ventura will host the bunny photo booth. Entertainment includes Ventura County Spirit Company, the Magic of Merlin and Jamie Shaheen doing interactive sing-a-longs for the children. Children and adults can try their dancing steps with Alma de Mexico folklorico dancers and wrap up the day with the Pulse Drumming School. Other activities include Jolly Jumps, mazes, a farm animal petting zoo and a variety of interesting bugs and spiders courtesy of Cool Creatures.

Cottontail DayBesides providing family fun, events like Cottontail Day create an economic engine for downtown, promoting Ventura as a destination for cultural tourists. For some downtown merchants, street fairs and other events can be one of their top selling days of the year. This year, Cultural Affairs has partnered with the Downtown Ventura Organization to organize the "Big Egg Hunt" with prizes for families that visit downtown merchants. Participants who find the egg icon in merchants' windows can enter a drawing to win a huge gift basket (on display at the event).

For more information, please call City of Ventura staff at (805) 654-7749 or visit:

Newly expanded ArtWalk weekend to launch in April

Rose Laundry SchafIn honor of its 16th year, ArtWalk has been expanded to a two-day, jam-packed weekend event, with a whole host of new events, activities and surprises. This year's Spring ArtWalk will be held on Saturday, April 26th from 1:00 -10:00 PM and Sunday, April 27th from 12:00 - 4:00 PM in Ventura's Downtown Cultural District. Spring 2008's Featured Artist is Stephen Schafer whose photographic works will be on display at the Museum of Ventura County's satellite location (89 S. California St.).

ArtWalk highlights include:

www.venturaartwalk.org

Rubicon's International Theater Festival tickets go on sale March 19th

RubiconThe performance line-up for the "preview season" of the Rubicon International Theater Festival will be announced on March 19th at a Press Launch being held at the Penisula Hotel. This groundbreaking festival will feature full length contemporary and classical productions by both American and international theater troupes and include a parade, hands-on workshops, booths, and children's programming. Organized by the regionally renowned Rubicon Theater, the festival is sure to be one of the cultural highlights of the year.

"We are incredibly grateful for the support coming from both within and outside Ventura County, including individuals, foundations as well as foreign governments," said noted actor and festival director Linda Purl. "We look forward to hosting the best of world theater right here in Ventura."

Ventura Libraries to Celebrate El Día del Niño

Since 1925, Día del Niño (the Day of the Child) has grown as an annual celebration throughout Mexico. This event is meant to celebrate children, pays homage to their importance in society, and endorses their well being. Literacy activities are often at the heart of these celebrations. In keeping with this tradition, the Avenue Library will be holding festivities on Wed., April 30th from 1:00 - 3:00 PM featuring a performance by the DeAnza Middle School student mariachi band, a reading by Kathleen Contreras of her book Pan Dulce; and a talk by library muralist Cathy Day as well kids' craft activities and refreshments.

Funding for Performing Arts Programs

Deadline: April 1

The Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF) is a regional nonprofit arts service organization dedicated to the creative advancement and preservation of the arts. WESTAF provides TourWest grants for the presentation of out-of-state touring performers and literary artists in underserved communities within the 13-state WESTAF region (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming). Projects must include at least one outreach activity, such as lecture-demonstrations, master classes, in-school educational activities involving students with the artist, etc.

Venture Ventura Artist's Studio Tour Call to Entry

Deadline: March 22

Venture Ventura Artist's Studio Tour will be held on Saturday, June 28th and Sunday, June 29th. The studio artist tour is being organized by local artists this year. Participating artists are required to maintain a professional artist studio within Ventura city limits and have facilities which will enable visitors to see and purchase art in a pleasant environment. Artists will be selected by a jury panel.

Said event organizers, "The purpose of this tour is three fold. First and foremost, is to continue the momentum established by the Focus on the Masters Studio Tour over the last four years. Focus on the Masters is unable to participate in a studio tour in 2008, so the local studio artists group is putting forth this effort to keep the tour going this year. The tour is being organized by the Ventura Studio Artists Association and while, fully supportive of Focus on the Masters, is not affiliated in any way except spiritually. The second function of this tour is to display the talent of Ventura's resident artists. Last, but certainly not least, our intention is to raise money for Art City with part of the proceeds."

For more information, please contact Steve Cook at stevenccook@mac.com or Sandra McCullough at mcculloughsandra@yahoo.com.

Exhibit at City Hall's new Bridge Gallery features works by City's Graphic Artists

Bridge Gallery Display"Good Design is Problem Solving" - a new exhibit at City Hall's Bridge Gallery, features fine art and graphic designs by the City of Ventura graphics team. The Bridge Gallery at 505 Poli Street is a new exhibition space - located at the widely used north entry to City Hall - created by the Public Art Program to provide opportunities for temporary and community-oriented exhibits.

The exhibit includes graphic design samples of work on the city's culture, civic engagement and education projects as well as fine art work by the individual team members-watercolors by Priscilla Holmes, mixed media assemblages by Dianne Bennett, graphics by Karen Moser and pen and ink drawings by Silvia Huerta-Wetherbee.

California Assembly Passes Foundation Diversity Bill

The California Assembly has passed Assembly Bill 624, introduced by Assemblyman Joe Coto (D-San Jose). The bill requires every private, corporate and operating foundation with assets over $250 million to collect and publicly disclose ethnic, gender and sexual orientation data pertaining to its governance, operations and grantmaking. This data would be required with respect to the foundation's board, staff, grantees and even its vendors. The aim was presumably to address the issue of diversity, but has been criticized by some for being overly intrusive. If this bill becomes law, it will require nonprofit arts organizations applying to large foundations to furnish extenstive demographic data on their staff and board composition.

For more information, visit:

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